“Our Souls can be defined by different levels, each of which describe its compatibility with the Mana essence our bodies are filled with. The higher our Soul’s level, the neater the glare our Mana will cast upon the world around us,” said Iblis as he began to explain everything to Helial.

Helial pondered over the meaning of these enigmatic words and furrowed his eyebrows.

“Before you rack your brains to pieces, I’ll give you a very practical example. What’s the difference between looking at your face in a rain puddle and in crystal-clear water?” Iblis said calmly.

“In the muddy water of a puddle you won’t be able to see your face as neatly as in crystal-clear water,” was Helial’s prompt response as he felt an Epiphany drawing nearer. His Soul seemed to be pounding. It was about to realize something. However, the Epiphany lay one centimeter away from Helial’s reach. The awareness of his own limits weighted down on him unbearably.

“So, I notice you’ve grasped the principles behind the Levels. The higher your Soul’s Level, the better it projects your very essence onto the world around you. If you have but a blurry image of yourself, it will only cast a faint reflection which won’t let your essence emerge completely. This makes the climb down Daos of Mana much harder. It also kind of changes our attitude, somehow.”

It was only then that Helial realized why Iblis had asked him about their chances to defeat the Undead.

It wasn’t just one way or the other. I was me who decided we could only choose to either lose or run away, Helial thought as he gritted his teeth. My mind is still too restricted.

“Does this mean my Soul is weak, Master?” Helial asked in concern. The boy had always thought he had an extraordinarily strong Soul, thanks to which he boasted an extraordinary Mana Control. But ever since the Devil had entered his Soul, all of his certainties had begun to fall down.

Iblis gave him an inscrutably deep look before going on to say: “Your case is a strange one. On the one hand, you have been pig-headed enough to reach an impressive strength. Your Soul does seem unwavering as iron. Your Mana Control and the refined nature of your Soul let you receive inside of you both two legendary Legacies. In your shoes, any other living being had already been stone dead.”

Iblis climbed down his invisible chair to approach Helial with small firm steps.

“Your heart, on the other hand, has kept hardening even after you left your brother. That’s why you managed to face ever greater difficulties. So now your Soul is strong, but impure. It can’t reflect your true essence despite the outstanding power you got from this very transformation,” Iblis said as he yawned.

Helial stared blankly. This meant, a change in his Soul could lead to a complete change in his Dao?

“Doesn’t matter how long you analyze this. You need to experience it on your skin…”

***

Countless years before

Siche received yet another attack, this time in the face. Her indescribably destructive beauty risked to be lost forever.

Siche’s body fell down to the ground. The impact spread through the earth as the ground cracked open beneath her.

Her opponent stirred up the corners of his mouth in a sneer. Amaterasu’s pupil Marte cast her a disdainful look. He was three meters tall. His build was a brawny tyrannical one. On the contrary, Siche was but five feet tall. Her silhouette was slim and shapely. It was indeed true that one couldn’t tell the strength of an Immortal by their size, but Marte did nonetheless strike utter fear into the heart of his opponents.

“Why would so stunning a woman side with those Destruction slobs?”

Siche gritted her teeth as her expression turned angry: “Slobs? How come this slob of my master alone had all of you lower your head five years ago?”

Marte gave her a smile as he said: “Might be. But we all know we have let him have this cease-ire for mere pity.”

Siche began to foam with rage. Her master was the only one who granted her the chance to fully live her second life. She would let no one tarnish his name, let alone an arrogant blowhard from the Clan of Life.

The only reason why she had stooped so low as to practice with one of those Life hypocrites was that she was trying to grow stronger in any way. She needed to help her master. She surely was one of the strongest warriors in the Devil’s ranks. However, her skills were nowhere near as outstanding as those of Iblis.

According to the truce declared by Life and Destruction, the disciples of both factions could now freely challenge the members of the counterpart Clan, given that no one would kill no one else. Beating someone to death was strictly prohibited, as well as make them crippled or destroy someone else’s Dao of Mana. Every irreparable damage purposely inflicted would have undergone punishment. This way, they would avoid the umpteenth war.

“Truth is, Iblis couldn’t defeat the greatest leaders of the Forces of Life. That’s the only reason why he came back with his tail between his legs, to beg for truce!” exclaimed Marte as he burst into laughter.

Siche’s eyes were sparked out by a feeling Marte could not define.

“An ugly truth to accept, huh?” Amaterasu’s pupil went on laughing wildly without taking notice of the ghastly shadow staring at him with a piercing glare behind his back.

A large mocking smile spread across Siche’s face.

“What’s up, whore? You laugh, now? You must be out of yourself. Did I beat your head too hard?” Marte giggled. “Why don’t you crawl back to your master to ask for some further advice, for example on how to suck…”

Toc Toc

Marte felt a fingertip tumble on his hip. His expression darkened. “Who dares interrupt me?”

“Just wanted to know, like, how exactly did this Iblis surrender to the greatest warriors of Life.”

Marte was about to reply with a string of insults when, turning his head, he saw the face of he who had tapped on his hip. He turned as white as a sheet. “I, I…”

“Nope, easy. It’s me who has little idea on how this went. Why don’t you tell me more?” Iblis said as he bat wings spread out. He brought a hand to his chin, as if thoughtful.

Marte wore a miserable expression and raised up his hands in sign of excuse. “Forgive me, I me-meant…”

Iblis gave him a broad smile. With a twist of hand, he hinted that he shut up. “Oh, please. I wanna know. Sorry if I am slow on the uptake and so bad a master to my pupils. Tell me what happened five years ago. I am all ears.”

Marte was drowsing in pure desperation. Don’t you see this was just two disciples merely talking? Why do you have to step in and leave me no face?, he asked to himself. But of course, he did not dare express this thought aloud.

A white bright beam appeared by Iblis’ side and cast the Devil an inquisitive look. “So now you step in even in disciples’ matches?”

The voice was so charming it seemed those words had been pronounced by a chore of angels which could bring any breathless body back to life.

“Me? No way. I just wanted to hear from this highly informed guy what reasons drove me to beg for this truce,” Iblis said as he gently tapped on Marte’s hip. It looked like Iblis had applied no force to that gentle touch. Marte turned pale. He soon began to sweat in an attempt at bearing the pain as decently as possible. Despite the effort though, he was soon drenched in sweat.

“Master…” Marte gazed at Amaterasu with eyes begging for mercy.

“Put off your hand, Iblis. Leave him alone. We agreed none of us would have interposed,” Amaterasu solemnly said.

In that very moment, Qinguang and Kirin appeared.

“What is happening here?” Qinguang snorted.

Marte did not want but dig a grave and not been seen. His lightminded words had gathered all the big shots of both Life and Destruction on that little planet they were only supposed to train on. If this wasn’t bad lack, what else could it be?

Marte inwardly promised to himself he would choose the path of reticence and never ever emit no further sound all his life long. In such a situation, any mistake could turn into the perfect excuse to put up an offensive.

“You here too, Qinguang? Your disciple has been kind enough to enlighten me on how I crawled to you and begged for truce with my tail between my legs after I risked being killed by the greatest warriors of the Forces of Life,” Iblis once again calmly repeated as he perfectly concealed his killing Aura. “Why don’t we all take some time to listen to his revealing words?”

Qinguang gazed at Marte as if he were a ghost.

Tail between his legs?

Kill that monster?

Qinguang felt a sudden urge to beat his head against some wall and just die on the spot. If they really could have killed that monster at any second, they would have never let him have no cease-fire in the first place. They would have caught that winged monster and killed him with their very hands. Iblis was the reason why Life had not declared war at the very last man of Destruction!

And now, this random idiot had just nonchalantly said that the greatest monster in the whole universe had run away from them with his tail between his legs.

What was Qinguang supposed to do at this point? To admit his mistake, lose his face, and apologize?

Why wouldn’t that damned Iblis just step aside instead being everyone’s thorn in the flesh?

We have already given you the cease-fire you asked. You have defeated an entire Clan by yourself. What else do you want now? Do you want us to hand you our face once and for all?! Qinguang began to tremble with rage as Kirin gazed at them without shattering his solemn silence.

“Apologize, Marte. Let his stupid game be over,” Kirin said as he casually waved a hand. The Human shape of the magnificent Qilin had candid hair as bright as his scales. His flaming eyes flew over Iblis. Without that typical human shamefulness, he said: “Accept Marte’s apologises and stop fooling around, Iblis.”

The corners of Iblis’ mouth slightly lowered down as he tilted his head. “Fooling?”

A terrifying Aura immediately engulfed the planet as if about to turn it into dust. The expression on Kirin, Qinguang, and Amaterasu’s faces changed drastically as they began to flow their Mana through their Meridians. If Iblis decided to attack them, they were not sure the three of them could face up to him.

Iblis hastily withdrew his Aura and shook his head. “Little tiny dog. I’m afraid you don’t quite remember how the negotiations went. Now I will help your disciple cast back his mind to the memories he boasts to recall.

I have begged for no thing. I have let you have a truce, otherwise I could have blown your Clan out in the blink of an eye. The alliance of Life might be feared by many in this universe, but its value drops down to zero when it comes to me. I wouldn’t hesitate to tear your life away, rip your hearts out and give them to rats to eat them raw. The only reason why I don’t do so, Qinguang, is your daughter. If you weren’t the father of Amaterasu, and if I weren’t still hoping in her redemption, you would all have died a long, long time ago. So you’d better inform your pupils what risks they are taking in following you.”

As he heard these words, Marte began to shudder. With great astonishment, he noticed that the other members of Life were still and mute. He thought that Qinguang, their Clan Leader, would have objected and kept high their honor. Iblis, however, really did seem to have extraordinary skills which went far beyond any comprehension.

None among the Clan of Life had actually been clearly informed about the truce but the biggest shots. Being a common disciple, Marte had no idea it had been Iblis’ concession, and nothing more.